23 November 2017, Israel - DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola held a brief meeting with Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely on 15 November 2017 at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Jerusalem to discuss developments in 60 years of bilateral relations.

The meeting focused on the proposed Philippine-Israeli Bilateral Labor Agreement (BLA) and the negotiations that are currently undergoing. The signed agreement would serve as pilot agreement for the succeeding negotiations with other countries that send caregivers to Israel such as Nepal, Sri Lanka, and India. Undersecretary Arriola thanked Israel for the labor laws that protect the rights of the Filipino workers and said that the Duterte administration has made the Overseas Filipinos (OF) the forefront of its foreign policy. The Undersecretary also reported on the successful Philippine hosting of the ASEAN Summit in Manila where the landmark document ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers was signed. The Undersecretary’s delegation also included OMWA Executive Director Raul Dado and Chiel of Staff Errol Leones.

DFA-OUMWA Undersecretary Sara Lou Y. Arriola (2,L) stresses a point with Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely (extreme right). To the Undersecretary’s right is Philippine Ambassador to Israel Neal Imperial, and to her left are Chief of Staff Errol Leones and Executive Director Raul Dado.

Ambassador Neal Imperial shakes hands with Deputy FM Tzipi Hotovely after the meeting.

The Undersecretary and the Deputy Foreign Minister share a smile.